This Sunday in the Mission, a designer co-op (the Mission Statement) hosts a block party in the Mission- local businesses show their clothes & beats & breakdancing. Sounds very cool. Beforehand trot over to Fabric8 on 22nd and check out the mural done by Brian Barneclo, and he’s also doing live painting.

Briefly: Sunday, from 3-7PM, The Mission Statement celebrates its opening with their First Annual Fashion Show & Block Party on Lexington Street between 18th and 19th Streets.

Lengthily: It’s a fashion show featuring clothing and jewelry by local designers such as Yugala (formerly of AMS and Saffron), Minnie Wilde, Zoe Bikini, and Honey McMoney (formerly Phobos & Deimos and University of Fuck). There will also be a performance by SFC Double Dutch, spoken word by Anthem Salgado & Kentura, and music by local DJs.details after ze jump

I’ve been very curious to find out what was going to happen at 1746 Post since it’s been torn apart… and I’ve discovered quite some news!

Anime, Manga and overall Japanese culture fans will be ecstatic to hear that Viz Pictures (an offshoot of local Anime and Manga publisher Viz Media) is a partner in building a “J-Pop Center” in Japantown! The Center will include a theatre for showing releases from Viz Pictures, Anime and other Japanese features. Also expected are a branch of the already popular Kinokuniya Bookstore, a cafe and some Japanese clothing shops… a one-stop J-Pop shop!

The website for the Viz Cinema does not show a lot of information at the moment, but it does state that it is slated to open in Winter of this year.

Walking up the four flights of stairs to the interfacing area of Britex, that sewing oasis on Maiden Lane, I remembered shopping here with my Mom when I was about 13. All happy memories, but also a lot of stress, as I knew we were dropping a bundle on woolen fibers, and I wasn’t sure I’d proven myself with my sewing skills, as they were.

Overheard at Britex yesterday:
– “So any other tips on going to Burning Man?” Between two salespeople
– “You could always make your dress out of safety pins.” Saleswoman to a guy, referring to an episode of Project Runway.

I got some great advice on lining a skirt, and when she checked out my meager Simplicity pattern, she didn’t sniff and say, “We don’t sell those.” (they’re super basic), instead she nicely said, “Did you bring that from home?” And then gave me tons of tips on how to do the lining without a pattern.

There’s nothing wrong with brown hair, except when it’s on my head. I feel like body parts are customizable cartoon avatars. If my online self has pink hair, then I should too.

There are a few stumbling blocks to procuring your pink hair, though. Drug stores typically only carry colors of the “natural” variety. One must trek to find the pink hair.

In my quest for pink hair, I was pleased to find a weird store, right in my neighborhood, with pink dye and more. Westwood Beauty Supply carries pink dye in many brands, including my favorite, “Special Effects”, and everything else under the sun as well.

These people have extensions in every variety imaginable, belly button rings, eye shadow in bizarre colors, purses, tiaras and just bins of crazy trinkets.

The trinkets look cheap, but they glitter. The owners don’t speak much English, and they don’t know much about hair. But if you know what you’re there for, they might have it and you don’t even have to go to a mall.

And hell, if you’re lucky, their resident copper chihuahua, Cookie, will be on-hand to greet you.

I was pretty excited by Eater SF’s ongoing commentary about the bright new future of Ghirardelli Square. Needless to say, the purported wi-fi here wasn’t very strong at all. And I was standing right in front of the sign.

I walked around it with my Mom, who remembers it “back in the day,” which could either be the 50s when her girlfriend Martha lived on Nob Hill, and she would take the cable car here to visit my mom and listen to beatniks play the guitar- that was a vivid memory- but otherwise, she kept saying it was “pretty much the same.” So what does rejuvenation mean?

As a neighbor, I’ve only been here a handful of times. The shops don’t appeal, but then again, I noticed Lola of North Beach, the best stationer’s store I’ve ever been to, now has a branch in the Square. Also, found Waterfront Bakery, my new favorite European cafe (note: technically Cannery not Ghirardelli). If there’s any discernible reason for the Russian Hillers to come down and enjoy Ghirardelli Square, and not just for oversweet ice cream (they do have Swenson’s) a gourmet grocery is it. There’s Safeway and Trader Joe’s nearby, but nothing like Bi-Rite in the Mission or Whole Foods Deli. The spread of Danko-ism is something exciting, and I’ll be sure to report back here if anything else pops up that’s neat & noteworthy.

This is just a quick update to my earlier post about the public comment period for the proposed Whole Foods and the EIR for this project. The comment period has been extended to the end of this week, 3/7. If you live in the neighborhood, you are encouraged to review the impact report and voice your opinions to the Planning Department.

There will be a public hearing this Thursday (2/28) to discuss the results of the EIR for the new Whole Foods expected to go in at the site of the old Cala Foods Market. This location has sat empty for the past couple of years while the community debates what kind of development befits the area. Whole Foods has come forward with a proposal for review. And guess what, the hippies hate it and the yuppies love it.

Progressive Grocer reports that as of last Monday, Andronicos has pulled all Tobacco products from their shelves. Part of a broader initiative called “clean and green” that will be continuing over the coming months.
“We have been contemplating this for several years,” said president and c.e.o. Bill Andronico. Adding, “It’s all part of a rising consciousness at Andronico’s that will include the upcoming Clean and Green initiatives. . .”

I certainly agree that the widespread use of most tobacco products creates a burden for taxpayers, a certain health risk for users and a nuisance for many others. Putting that aside, I wonder if there are any responsible tobacco growers and tobacco product manufacturers out there. It seems that Andronicos could still carry tobacco products under those conditions?(more…)